Portret van een jonge vrouw met pijpenkrullen, staand bij een stoel 1861 - 1887

Editor: Here we have Albert Greiner's "Portret van een jonge vrouw met pijpenkrullen, staand bij een stoel", or "Portrait of a young woman with pipe curls, standing by a chair" created sometime between 1861 and 1887. It's a photographic portrait, and it gives off a really formal, almost stern feeling. What strikes you most about it? Curator: Well, immediately, I’m drawn to the material processes at play. Think about what went into creating this image – the photographic chemicals, the glass plates, the posing chairs carefully manufactured and draped. The young woman’s clothing as well-- where did that material come from, what were the social relations required for its fabrication? And how does this compare to portrait making processes of our own time? Editor: I hadn’t considered the manufacturing. Curator: It's vital! Look at the deliberate way in which this was captured-- not candid but very calculated. Consider how each element reflects a specific social stratum and set of production methods. Her bow for instance, or her dress, speak to certain expectations of what that particular segment of society would buy. What are your thoughts on who might've commissioned such a photograph? Editor: Perhaps someone of a relatively new middle-class looking to document themselves in a dignified manner. So it is about aspiration as much as documentation, then. Curator: Precisely! Think of the act of photographing as an industry in and of itself. Each pose, backdrop, even the hairstyles we see, are the results of deliberate actions tied into larger economic forces. In fact, what looks seemingly simple at first actually exposes a complex web of making and consuming. Editor: That's given me a new appreciation. Looking beyond just the image itself to understand its manufacturing background brings a totally different meaning. I'll be paying closer attention to this production process moving forward. Curator: And that enhanced observation and attention to production, my friend, that is the goal.